DAVIDSON HISTORY
Stewart Gray Named Historic Landmarks Commission Director
NEWS We're excited to announce that we have a new director and it's none other than our very own Stewart Gray. Stewart has worked for the Historic Landmarks Commission since 2006 and chances are, if you've ever interacted with the HLC, you've met him. With his...
Professor William D. Vinson, “One of the Brainiest Men in the South”
NEWS On August 25, 1897, Davidson College lost Professor William D. Vinson who, despite his relatively brief tenure at the college, was sorely missed by town and gown. Vinson was born in South Carolina in April 1849. In 1850, he was living in Richland County with...
Echoes of Slavery: The Johnsons
NEWS While slavery in the United States ended over 150 years ago, echoes still exist around Davidson today. Clues lie all around us: in books like Ralph Johnson’s David Played a Harp, in monuments in the Christian Aid Society Cemetery and other Black cemeteries, in...
Are Charlotte’s Streets Paved with Gold? Part II
NEWS Although gold was being dug and refined in and around Charlotte, there were no local facilities to mint coins. The only such facility in North Carolina was the Bechtler Mint, which had been operating in Rutherfordton since 1831. This was to change, however,...
Are Charlotte’s Streets Paved with Gold? Part I
NEWS Not exactly, but we’ll get to that later. Many people are familiar with the Reed Gold Mine in nearby Cabarrus County, where a large nugget of gold was discovered in 1799. This gold was discovered in a creek and was part of a slate belt that extended from...